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Dr Ahmad Afzal
The essence of true and authentic Islamic thought consists of the idea that
it is not enough to practice Islam in the personal life only, but that the teachings
of the Quran and those of the Sunnah need also be implemented in their totality
in the social, economic, and political fields. In other words, it implies the
establishment of the sovereignty of Almighty Allah (SWT) in the "religious" as
well as the "secular" domains, or the removal of the dichotomy between
collective life and state authority on the one hand and Divine guidance on the
other. The underlying and pervasive idea in this context, which is also an integral
part of the Islamic Revolutionary Thought, is that the struggle to establish
unqualified and unconditional ascendancy of the Holy Qur'an and the Sunnah of
Prophet Muhammad (SAAWS) is obligatory upon all members of the Muslim
Ummah. The goal of this struggle is to achieve the domination of the True way of
life (Deen al-Haq), so that the Islamic System of Social Justice - which is the
most balanced synthesis of human freedom, fraternity, and equality, and which
embodies the Divine attributes of Benevolence, Providence, and Justice - can be
established on God's earth.
The Holy Quran describes Islam as Deen al-Haq, or the true way of life.
The very connotation of the word Deen - as contrasted with "religion" - is a
declaration of war against secularism. This is because the word religion is
commonly used in a rather narrow sense, its scope being limited to a set of
dogmas, some rituals for worship, and a number of social customs to celebrate
important life-events.
Individual
Life
Religion
Few social
Dogma Rituals
customs
Laws are there to support a system and the system is known by the one
who has the absolute authority and command.
If the king has the absolute say and is being obeyed completely then the
system is known as Deen al-Malik (Yousuf:76) – King’s system.
“….He could not take his brother by the law of the king (as a slave)….”
When the term Deen is used for Islam, it obviously means a system of life
where Almighty Allah (SWT) is worshipped and obeyed, not just in the narrow
religious sense, but in a manner that includes all aspects of human life.
“And you see that the people enter Allâh's Deen (Islâm) in crowds”. (An-
Nasr : 2)
Deen
(entire code
of Life)
Individual Collective
Life Life
Religion Secular
Islam is based on, and rooted in, a well-integrated set of beliefs describing
the nature of ultimate reality, meaning of human life, and the final destiny. In
addition to this essential faith or Iman, modes of worship (i.e., Salat, Zakat,
Saum, and Hajj) and various social customs are also indispensable and integral
parts of Islam.
On the other hand, along with religious guidance, Islam also provides us
all the relevant instructions regarding our social, economic, and political
existence (generally considered to be the "secular" or "worldly" aspects of life),
and this is what really distinguishes Islam from other religions, say, Christianity or
Buddhism. The salient features of Islamic socio-politico-economic system are
Note:
"My choice of Mohammad to lead the list of the world's most influential
persons may surprise some readers and may be questioned by others, but he
was the only man in history who was supremely successful on both the religious
and secular levels”. by Dr. Michael Hart, the 100: a ranking of the most
influential persons in the history. Page 33, 1978
“...those who do not make decisions according to Allah's laws, are kafir”
(5:44)
“.... those who do not make decisions according to Allah's laws, are zalim
(mushrik)” -(5:45)
“..... those who do not make decisions according to Allah's laws, are fasiq
(disobedient”) - (5:47)
“O believers, shall I tell you, and guide you to a trade which will save you
from a painful doom, that you believe in Allah and his messenger (p b u h)
and that you strive hard (jihad) in the cause of Allah with your wealth and
your lives: that will be better for you, if you but know.” ( As-Saf: 10-11).
It's not that Islam cannot survive or support itself without political
authority, but, in fact, it is the political authority that grows more and more corrupt
unless it is subordinated to the commands of the Holy Quran and the Sunnah of
Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
“They alone are the believers who come to believe in Allah and His
messenger and afterwards never doubt, and who strive in the way of Allah
with their wealth and their lives. Only they are truthful and sincere. “
(Al-Hujurat 49:15)